Ball return mechanism for automatic bowling alleys

ABSTRACT

A flexible arm provided with an exterior surface having a high coefficient of friction is attached to the rear side of a pit cushion such that it extends into the ball return mechanism when the cushion is lowered. When a bowled ball strikes the cushion, the cushion is raised to allow the ball to pass thereunder and is then lowered bringing the arm into contact with the ball. Should the ball be spinning, engagement of the arm therewith causes the spinning to cease and assures a more positive engagement of the ball by the ball return mechanism.

nited States Patent [191 Easterly [111 3,822,882 [451 July 9,1974

BALL RETURN MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC BOWLING ALLEYS [76] Inventor: James D. Easterly, ll027-35th,

NE, Seattle, Wash. 98125 [22] Filed: May 3, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 356,737

[52] US. Cl. 273/49 [51] Int. Cl....'. A63d 5/02 [58] Field of Search 273/49 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,456,946 7/1969 Buck 273/49 3,560,129 2/1971 Diaz 273/49 Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle [5 7] ABSTRACT A flexible arm provided with an exterior surface having a highcoefiicient of friction is attached to the rear side of a pit cushion such that it extends into the ball return mechanism when the cushion is lowered. When a bowled ball strikes the cushion, the cushion is raised to allow the ball to pass thereunderand is then lowered bringing the arm into contact with the ball. Should the ball be spinning, engagement of the arm therewith causes the spinning to cease and assures a more positive engagement of the ball by the ball return mechanism.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well-known, the recreation sport of bowling at its inception required the presence of a pinsetter behind the end of the lane to return the ball to the bowler for a second bowl, to remove the dead wood or pins knocked down prior to the bowling of the second ball and, further, to reset all of the pins for another frame. As this was very tedious work and required the pinsetter to spend a fair amount of time in an awkward and uncomfortable, stooped position, it was not very long before enterprising individuals designed and built automutic mechanisms for accomplishing the three functions, i.e., returning the ball, removing the dead wood and resetting the pins for another bowl.

The automatic mechanisms have functioned with varying degrees of success and have undergone a great number of refinements over the years such that they are at present relatively free of problems if properly maintained.

One of the problems which has been difficult to overcome lies in the fact that when a ball is bowled at the pins, it often retains a fair amount ofspin, even after it has contacted the pit cushion. When the ball is rapidly spinning, it is difficult for the ball conveying apparatus to grasp the ball and lift it to the top of the ball return chute. As an added impediment to the return of the ball, an oil-based alley dressing is applied to the lanes during routine maintenance which adheres to the ball as it rolls down the alley. The presence of lubricant reduces friction which would normally stop the spin. Since a spinning ball is much more difficult to capture, the spin is undesirable in that it slows the entire game.

When the ball is not quickly returned, the bowler who is paying a rental fee is unhappy and the operator who realizes alarger gain the more efficiently his alleys are used also is not pleased. The standard operating procedure for eliminating a spinning ball problem is to send an individual to the back of the alley whereat he manually removes the film which causes the ball to continue spinning for an inordinate amount of time.

With the above noted prior art and problems in mind,

it is an object of the present invention to provide ameans whereby a spinning ball located in the ball return mechanism will be stopped from spinning, thereby allowing the ball return to capture the ball and return it.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a means secured to the back of the pit cushion to apply a friction element to the outer surface of the ball, thus retarding spinning even if there is a film of lubricant upon the mechanism, thus enabling continued use until it is convenient to clean the area.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby it is assured that the ball will be quickly and consistently returned to the operator under most expected conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the portions of the pin setting mechanism which are critical to the present invention.

v 2 FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the ball return mechanism having secured thereto the spin retardant portion.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the spin retardant means in conjunction with its supporting pit cushion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

As seen in FIG. 1, a ball which is bowled down the alley will proceed along the alley surface 2, which would normally support the pins at its rearward end, drop into the pit generally designated as 4 and continue rearwardly until it contacts the pit cushion 6. Contact of the pit cushion by the ball generally causes the entire pin setting mechanism to operate. The pin setting mechanism per se is not considered to be a part of this invention and so will not be detailed. The rake 8 is ac tuated, sweeping all of the dead wood into the pit 4, which has a sloping floor of a broad V-shape which is continually vibrated, causing the pins to move to the back of the pit'and be recycled. The recycling of the pins is not critical to the present invention and will not be described in detail. As an intimate part of the rake 8 are the rake support arm 10 and the rake lift arm 12, which elevates the rake for the return, thereby preventing the accidental movement of pins forward on the alley.

Mounted generally behind the pit cushion 6 is the ball return, which includes a ball wheel 14, which is continuously rotating, and, as seen in FIG. 1, is of a configuration which tends to capture a ball and, as will be explained hereinafter, lift it for return to the head of the alley. The ball wheel includes a vertical rear section 16 to prevent undesired rearward movement of the ball.

The pit cushion located in front of the ball return includes linkage, generally designated as 18, including a cushion link 20 and slide links 22, as well as shock absorber 24. The mechanism absorbs the shock of the ball contacting the pit cushion and serves to raise the pit cushion out of the way, allowing the ball and the pins to move to the rear of the pit for return to the proper location. Mounted above the pit cushion 6 is a pit curtain 26, which prevents pins hit at an extremely high velocity from bouncing rearwardly into the mechanism.

As more readily seen in FIG. 2, the pit cushion 6 and the pit curtain 26 generally shield the ball return mechanism, including the ball wheel and a pair of lift rods 28, from impact of a rapidly traveling ball or a flying pin. The ball wheel 14 is supported by at least a pair of guide rollers 30 and, theoretically, the ball, after having contacted the pit cushion and been slowed a sufficient amount, will move to the interior of the ball wheel 14, where it will be rolled to a position whereat the upper surface of the ball will contact the lift rods; and then, because of the fact that the ball is slightly larger than the space between the ball wheel and the lift rods, the ball will be carried by the ball wheel upwardly to a posi tion where it will be deposited upon a track 32 to be returned to the head of the alley.

As noted above, one of the problems with this return mechanism is that in the lubrication of the mechanism, a film tends to collect within the ball wheel and a ball which has already received a spin from the movement down the alley tends to sit in the lower portion of the ball wheel and spin without moving upwardly, as-is necessary to capture it between the wheel and the lift rods. As seen in the figures, the spin stop mechanism comprises an outwardly extending friction member 32 which contacts the ball and prevents it from continual spinning. The ball is thus urged to the capture position by friction contact with the wheel 14. Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the ball wheel 14 supports the ball, and one of the lift rods 28 is located generally behind the lowermost portion of the wheel 14. The return of the pit cushion 6 brings the friction stop element 32 into contact with the ball, thus urging it upwardly within the wheel unit until it is captured between the two lift rods 28.

For clarity, the friction stop mechanism is illustrated on a large scale in H0. 4. As can be seen, the friction stop mechanism is secured to the rear portion of the pit cushion by means of a single attachment via a bolt 36 or other suitable means. It includes a resilient arm 38 which extends downwardly behind the pit cushion and then is bent away from the pit cushion, as at 40. A

, member which is flexible and has a friction surface 42 is secured to the element 40 and extends far enough out so that it will contact the ball slightly behind the vertical diameter, which would normally pass through the center point of the ball wheel itself. The term behind is understood to mean opposite the direction of travel of the ball wheel 14. Thus, the element 42 not only stops the spinning of the ball, but, further, gives a slight urging toward the upper surface of the ball wheel and, thus, causes the ball to become captured between the ball wheel and the lift rods.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a bowling ball return mechanism for use with an automatic pinsetter having 1) powered ball transporting means including a ball wheel and guide rods spaced from and following the contour of the ball wheel so that a bowling ball captured between the ball wheel and the guide rods is lifted to a ball return, and (2) a pit cushion located in the path of the bowling ball to initially absorb the energy of the ball, move upwardly to allow the ball to roll under it into the ball transporting means, and then move downwardly to its original position, the improvement comprising providing a flexible arm secured above and to the rear side of the pit cushion with the opposite end of the flexible arm provided with an exterior surface having a high coefficient of friction, the flexible arm positioned so that return of the pit cushion brings the opposite end of the flexible arm into contact with the bowling ball in the ball transporting means to impede its spinning and urge it toward the ball transporting means for capture thereby.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the flexible arm has an L-shaped configuration and is secured at one end near the top of the pit cushion, extends down the width of the pin cushion and then extends rearwardly from the pit cushion toward the ball transporting means, and wherein the opposite end of the arm contacts the bowling ball held by the ball transporting means on the side of the ball opposite the direction of movement of the ball transporting means so as to urge the ball into contact with the ball transporting means for capture thereof. 

1. In a bowling ball return mechanism for use with an automatic pinsetter having (1) powered ball transporting means including a ball wheel and guide rods spaced from and following the contour of the ball wheel so that a bowling ball captured between the ball wheel and the guide rods is lifted to a ball return, and (2) a pit cushion located in the path of the bowling ball to initially absorb the energy of the ball, move upwardly to allow the ball to roll under it into the ball transporting means, and then move downwardly to its original position, the improvement comprising providing a flexible arm secured above and to the rear side of the pit cushion with the opposite end of the flexible arm provided with an exterior surface having a high coefficient of friction, the flexible arm positioned so that return of the pit cushion brings the opposite end of the flexible arm into contact with the bowling ball in the ball transporting means to impede its spinning and urge it toward the ball transporting means for capture thereby.
 2. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the flexible arm has an L-shaped configuration and is secured at one end near the top of the pit cushion, extends down the width of the pin cushion and then extends rearwardly from the pit cushion toward the ball transporting means, and wherein the opposite end of the arm contacts the bowling ball held by the ball transporting means on the side of the ball opposite the direction of movement of the ball transporting means so as to urge the ball into contact with the ball transporting means for capture thereof. 